This application is directed toward fasteners and in particular those that are useful for selectively locking two objects to each other in a predetermined relationship.
For numerous reasons it is often useful to provide a mechanism which is able to lock two objects to each other in a fixed relationship and provide for a defined space between the objects. This is often desirable in electrical applications because of the possible conduction of electricity between the objects if the distance between them is not properly maintained.
In the case of circuit boards, it is usually necessary to mount those boards to a chassis having a plurality of specially designed mounts adapted to receive the boards. In other instances, it may be necessary to mount one board with respect to another board using such mounts. These boards are slid into the mounts, which have mechanisms for affixing the boards immovably to the chassis. These boards must be aligned precisely within the mounts or else oppositely positioned leads located on the boards and within the chassis will not be in contact and signal failures may result.
The boards are extremely fragile in their construction and thus not capable of careless or rough treatment. When mounting the boards in such a chassis, it is necessary to push the board into contact with the chassis mounts, often with considerably more force than should be appied to the board. Also, when removing the boards, it is often necessary to apply a considerable pulling force to the boards to unseat them from the chassis mounts.
Therefore, it is necessary that a fastener be developed which is able to lock a circuit board to a chassis or to another circuit board whereby a fixed relationship, including a defined distance exists between the circuit board and the chassis or another board in the locked state. It is further desirable that the fastener be easily opened to permit removal of a circuit board from the chassis or a first board to which it is mounted, yet designed so that the fastener remains affixed to the chassis or the first board for further use.